The Cloud, Consolidation and a New Data Center?
The two major trends hitting the data center industry these days are cloud computing and consolidation. The common thread between them is the desire to handle increasing data loads with less physical infrastructure.
If that is the case, then why is there a surge of new data center construction out there?
Are Big Data Startups Eyeing the Enterprise Already?
Global financial crisis ‘has prompted data quality focus’
More businesses operating in the banking sector are focusing on the importance of data quality as a result of the after-effects of the global financial crisis.
This is the view of independent data quality writer and consultant Jim Harris, who told IT Business Edge that new regulatory compliance measures have been put in place since the event in an attempt to prevent bad information-driven decisions being made.
He said that financial institutions have come to realise the importance of data quality as a result.
Cloud computing ‘should be further encouraged by AGIMO’
The Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) has been encouraged to take a more positive stance towards cloud computing.
This is the advice of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), which has said AGIMO was unduly negative in its assessment of the technology in a recent paper on the issue, reports the Enterprise Communications website.
According to a cloud computing taskforce established by the AIIA, the organisation should be looking to talk up the benefits of the service rather than simply highlighting its potential risks.
Matchmaking for the Cloud
For big computing jobs, such as data analysis or video processing, it’s often cheaper for businesses to use rented resources rather than hardware they own. They can lease access to hardware for a specific period of time, or they can use a cloud computing service, which charges for the amount of computer power used. Now a service launched this week by Toronto-based Enomaly will let companies buy and sell unused computing capacity.
Keep Exchange In-House and in the Cloud With Coexistence
NetApp Co-Founder Dave Hitz Talks Cloud
Dave Hitz co-founded NetApp in 1992. He’s now executive vice president there in a strategy directing role. I sat down with him recently to talk about the road ahead for NetApp, and how the big trends in technology — cloud computing, virtualization, and industry consolidation — are hitting NetApp.
The company announces earnings tomorrow, after an impressive run-up in its stock price that has handily beat rival EMC, as well as giants IBM and Hewlett-Packard.
Microsoft can fend off mobile, cloud competition
Duncan Jones, principal analyst of sourcing and vendor management at Forrester Research, noted that because of its long-term dominance over the PC market, Microsoft was unable to react quickly to "real competition" from cloud-based vendors. As such, he said rivals Google and Oracle have been touting their Web-based office productivity tools and operating systems (OSes) to try and wrest market share from the market leader.
Asus Preparing Mystery ‘Personal Cloud Computing’ Product For Fall Release
The booming popularity of tablets has been a mixed blessing for Asus. The Taiwan-based electronics vendor makes takes a hit each time consumers opt for tablets over the laptops and netbooks it makes. At the same time, Asus is investing in tablets, unveiling four models at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Most of Asus’ tablets won’t launch until later this year, however, when a glut of other tablets from companies ranging from Motorola to Research In Motion to HP will also be on sale.
Administration releases federal cloud strategy
The Obama administration has released its Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, designed to help guide agencies in moving systems to a cloud computing environment. It includes a mandatory evaluation of cloud options before making any investments.
Characterized by low asset utilization, a fragmented demand for resources, duplicative systems, unmanageable environments and long procurement lead times, the federal government’s current IT environment is plagued with ineffiencies, according to the report.